The difficulties faced by German life insurers and pension funds due to the ongoing phase of low interest rates are regularly in the news. Now the situation is coming to a head: the financial supervisory authority Bafin recently closed the Cologne pension fund and the Caritas insurance association. It keeps around 20 of 80 life insurers and a good 35 of 135 pension funds for company pension schemes under “intensified supervision”. No wonder that more and more concerned customers are asking consumer advice centers whether it is better to cancel their policy. However, this is always fraught with financial losses - there are more attractive options.